[Satellite Today – 4-14-08] Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) has inked a deal with the United Arab Emirate (UAE) Armed Forces to provide secure satellite communications in the UAE, the operator said April 14. The UAE Armed Forces will lease satellite capacity on Yahsat satellites for a 15-year period as Yahsat’s first government customer. As part of the turnkey contract Yahsat will also supply the ground terminals and gateway infrastructure and will be responsible for satellite network services.
    The deal is good news for Yahsat, which is spending heavily on new satellites to meet what it sees as strong capacity needs within the region. The operator, the UAE’s first nationally-owned satellite operator, announced last August that it had signed a major deal with leading European satellite companies EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space regarding the buildout of a dual satellite communications system, costing over $1.6 billion.
    “The protection and defense of the United Arab Emirates is our primary mission,” said Lt. Gen. Hamad Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithi, Chief of Staff of the UAE Armed Forces in a statement. “We are proud to work closely with Yahsat to build a reliable and robust satellite system, to develop the UAE military communications, and thus reinforce the capabilities and efficiency of our armed forces, as well as our operational capabilities.”